Kiwi-founded defence technology company SYOS Aerospace has secured an agreement with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to supply a range of autonomous platforms and support services aimed at advancing the country’s uncrewed systems capability.
The contract will see SYOS provide a portfolio of air, land and sea platforms while working alongside NZDF on a programme of structured experimentation, evaluation and development designed to accelerate the integration of autonomous systems into defence operations.
The contract builds on SYOS Aerospace’s growing international presence. Earlier this year – as reported in Xpress Engineer and NZ Engineering News – the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence selected the company as one of seven firms advancing to the next stage of Project NYX, a programme focused on developing ‘wingman drones’ to operate alongside British Army Apache attack helicopters. The programme includes the development of the company’s SA200 heavy-lift autonomous helicopter, a platform designed to support complex missions in demanding operational environments.
Under the agreement, SYOS will supply a suite of multi-domain uncrewed vehicles to support the NZDF’s modernisation and capability development priorities. The programme will also include technical services, training and operational support to ensure personnel can effectively integrate, operate and evaluate emerging technologies.
Platforms to be supplied span all three operational environments. At sea, the company will provide its SM300 uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), designed for extended autonomous operations and capable of supporting a wide range of mission profiles. In the air domain, the NZDF will receive SA2 and SA7 uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), which can support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities as well as airborne logistics roles. On land, the SG400 autonomous ground vehicle (UGV) will be deployed to support missions requiring resilient ground mobility and access to challenging terrain.
SYOS chief executive and founder Sam Vye says the agreement represents an important step in strengthening New Zealand’s defence technology capability.
“We’re delighted to support the NZDF and are well positioned to contribute to its strategic priorities,” Vye says. “Our platforms have been proven in some of the world’s most demanding environments, and we’re proud to bring that experience to New Zealand’s capability development.”
Vye says SYOS specialises in delivering autonomous systems designed to operate across multiple domains, combining advanced hardware with artificial intelligence-enabled autonomy.
“We deliver uncrewed autonomy solutions across air, land, sea and subsurface domains, engineered for missions where reliability and performance are critical. Our expertise in hardware, uncrewed technologies and AI-enabled autonomy allows us to provide scalable, affordable, mission-ready solutions that deliver real operational advantage.”
The collaboration between SYOS and NZDF may also extend to supporting Project Convergence 2026, a multinational experimentation campaign aimed at accelerating the development of AI-enabled battlefield management systems and next-generation military technologies.
Vye says the NZDF’s programme of structured experimentation aligns closely with the way SYOS works with defence customers and end users.
“Working shoulder to shoulder with customers allows us to develop solutions that move beyond traditional approaches and address complex real-world challenges. We are committed to contributing to the growth of New Zealand’s defence-technology ecosystem.”
For New Zealand’s defence sector, the partnership with SYOS represents another step toward integrating advanced autonomous technologies into future operational capability.